Temperature and air flow controlling apparatus of a household refrigerator

ABSTRACT

Chilled air is directed from the freezer compartment and discharged into the upper portion of the freshfood compartment. Means is provided for directing the discharged air in a path lying generally in a plane parallel to the plane of the access opening of the fresh-food compartment for mixing with warmer air in the fresh-food compartment. Temperature-sensing means is located in the downstream path of the chilled air after mixture with at least some of the warmer air of the fresh-food compartment.

United States Patet Summers et al.

[ Nov. 11, 1975 TEMPERATURE AND AIR FLOW 3,403,533 10/1968 Bollenbacher 62/419 CONTROLLING APPARATUS OF A 3,630,046 12/1971 Boor 62/419 HOUSEHOLD REFRIGERATOR 3,793,847 2/1974 Scarlett 62/419 [75] Inventors: Paul E. Summers; Robert B.

Gelbard, both of Lo i ill K Primary Examiner-William J. Wye

[73] Assignee: General Electric Company,

Louisville, Ky. ABS CT 7 TRA [22] Filed: Oct. 1s, 1974 [5 1 [21] A L N 515,159 Chilled air is directed from the freezer compartment and discharged into the upper portion of the freshfood compartment. Means is provided for directing the dis- [52] US. Cl. 62/180; 62/407; 62/414; charged air i a path lying generally in a plane parallel 62/419; 62/186 to the plane of the access opening of the fresh-food [51] Int. CL' F251) 17/00 compartment for mixing with Warmer air in the fresh [58] Fleld of Search 62/407, 414, 419, 186, food Compartment. Temperature sensing means is 62/180 cated in the downstream path of the chilled air after mixture with at least some of the warmer air of the [56] References C'ted fresh-food compartment.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,359,751 12/1967 Stevens 62/186 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures (30 /o (/6 l I x /34 (I \jz \L 36 l l 1 l I v v U.S. Patent Nov. 11, 1975 L is.

TEMPERATURE AND IR FLow CONTROLLING APPARATUS or A nousarrohn REFRIGERATOR BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION In the constructionof household refrigerators where the freezing compartment and the fresh-food compartment are side-by-side, it isdifficult to provide a uniform temperature throughout the fresh-food compartment. These conditions are caused by a multiplicity of interacting factors, some of which are difficult to control, such as ambient outside temperature, for example.

Heretofore utilized side-by-side household refrigerators, such as the Model .TFF-24 refrigerator manufactured by the General Electric Company, Louisville, Ky., had means for discharging the chilled air at the rear of the fresh-food compartment. This procedure, when combined with other air and temperature control means of the refrigerator, provided a cooling system of excellent quality.

It was discovered, however, that if the chilled air was discharged into the fresh-food compartment at the upper portion and directed as set forth in this invention, the temperature gradients in the fresh-food compartment would be more uniform, the system would be more convenient for the user, no portion of the freshfood compartment contents would be subjected to the impingement of below-freezing temperature air, and waste of power would be avoided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, the fresh-food compartment of a side-by-side refrigerator-freezer is chilled by circulated air diverted from the freezer compartment. Means is provided for discharging the diverted chilled air into the fresh-food compartment at a point adjacent the uppermost portion of the compartments access opening. The discharge means includes means for directing the discharged air in a path lying generally in a plane parallel to the plane of the access opening so as to mix with the warmer air extending across the access opening. A temperature-sensing means is located in the downstream path of the chilled discharge air for sensing the temperature of the chilled air after mixture with at least some of the warmer air adjacent the access opening of the fresh-food compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic frontal view of the side-byside refrigerator having the temperature-air flow controlling apparatus of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic top view in partial section of a portion of the refrigerator of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a household refrigerator has side-by-side freezing and fresh-food compartments 12, 14. The compartments 12, 14 have ing the first chilled air portion into-the freezing compartment 12. The means'30'can be an element of T or Y configuration or otherelement or elements as is known in the art. I

h A c'onduit32 is associated with the means-30 and is provided for moving the second chilled air portion to "a' location in the upper portion of the fresh-food compartment 14 adjacent its access opening 22. An airdirect ing means 34, such as an element of L configuration or other co'nnection known in the art, is connected to the discharge end of the 'conduit 32. The airdirecting means 34 is adapted for discharging the second chilled air portion from the conduit 32 into the fresh-food compartment 14 and directing said second chilled air portion (as shown by broken arrows) along the ceiling region 16 substantially parallel to and along the plane of access opening 22 and across said freshfood compartment 14.

A temperature sensing-signalling element 36 is a portion of the temperature controlling system of the refrigerator 10. The element 36 is positioned on an opposed side of the fresh-food compartment 14 from the airdirecting means 34 and in the pathway of the second chilled air portion.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the airstream of the freshfood compartment is directed against the ceiling 16 of the fresh-food compartment 14 on its pathway between the air-directing element 34 and the temperaturesensing element 36.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the air-directing element 34 and the element 36 are each positioned in the most forward one-fourth portion of the fresh-food compartment 14 as measured between a back wall 38 and a frontal edge 40 of the compartment.

In the operation of this invention, the chilled airstream passes into the fresh-food compartment 14 and is directed toward and along the ceiling 16. This causes the present fresh-food compartment air (shown by curved arrows in FIG. 1) to mix with the incoming second chilled airstream on its pathway to the temperature-sensing element 36. The airstream mixture is further directed along the door covering the access opening 22 which is the location of highest heat leakage. Thus, substantially no portion of the fresh-food compartment contents is subjected to the impingement of below-freezing temperature air.

By so providing the apparatus of this invention and directing and positioning the elements as set forth above, the efficiency of the coupling of the fresh food thermal load to the refrigeration source is improved, the temperature gradient is reduced in the fresh-food compartment, and waste of power is avoided.

Other modifications and alterations of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing discussion, and it should be understood that this invention is not to be unduly limited thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved air-flow system in a side-by-side refrigerator-freezer in which the fresh-food compartment is chilled by circulated air from the refrigeration system being diverted from the freezer compartment, the improvement comprising:

means for discharging the diverted chilled air into the fresh-food compartment at a point adjacent the uppermost portion of the compartments access opening, said discharge means including means for directing the discharged air in a path lying generally 2. Apparatus, as set forth in claim I, wherein the discharge means directs the airstream against a ceiling of the fresh-food compartment on its pathway to the temperature sensing means.

3. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the discharge means and the temperature sensing means are each positioned in the most forward one-quarter portion of the fresh-food compartment as measured between a back wall and the access opening of the freshfood compartment. 

1. An improved air-flow system in a side-by-side refrigeratorfreezer in which the fresh-food compartment is chilled by circulated air from the refrigeration system being diverted from the freezer compartment, the improvement comprising: means for discharging the diverted chilled air into the freshfood compartment at a point adjacent the uppermost portion of the compartment''s access opening, said discharge means including means for directing the discharged air in a path lying generally in a plane parallel to the plane of the access opening so as to mix with the warmer air extending across the access opening; and means located in the downstream path of the chilled discharge air for sensing the temperature of the chilled air after mixture with at least some of the warmer air adjacent the access opening of the fresh-food compartment, delivering a signal responsive to said sensed temperature, and controlling the operation of said refrigeration system in response to said signal.
 2. Apparatus, as set foRth in claim 1, wherein the discharge means directs the airstream against a ceiling of the fresh-food compartment on its pathway to the temperature sensing means.
 3. Apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein the discharge means and the temperature sensing means are each positioned in the most forward one-quarter portion of the fresh-food compartment as measured between a back wall and the access opening of the fresh-food compartment. 